Bathrooms can get pretty gross in no time at all. And it’s not just a grubby tub or grimy loo that you need to worry about.
The air inside a bathroom sees more than its fair share of pollutants, with the warm and moist environment providing a fertile breeding ground for mold, mildew and bacteria — not to mention the occasional odor that can turn your pristine porcelain palace into a room of doom.
- Mold and mildew thrive in spaces with excess moisture. Relative humidity can easily reach 100% after a shower or bath, with condensation remaining on surfaces for much longer.
- Every flush of a toilet sends as many as 145,000 droplets into the air, spreading bacteria, viruses and, you guessed it, fecal matter throughout the bathroom.
- Even homes with spotless bathrooms will face problematic air quality. A study by the EWG tested 30 common household cleaning products and discovered 530 unique VOCs, 193 of which are considered hazardous to health.
- Studies have also shown using cosmetics such as shampoo, shower gel and deodorants contributes to toxic levels of VOCs, adding gasses such as ethanol, monoterpenes and benzyl alcohol to the mix.
With an array of harmful pollutants in your bathroom, it’s wise to take action.
An air purifier can help eradicate mold spores, bacteria and even gaseous pollutants such as chemical fumes and unpleasant odors. But for it to work effectively, it will need a couple of essential qualities.
The first is a combination of high-quality filters, using a particulate matter filter (such as a HEPA) alongside an activated carbon filter. By doubling up on filtration, you’ll protect yourself from microscopic particles and VOCs.
Next, you’ll need to ensure the air purifier you chose can circulate the air inside your bathroom effectively. This will require a powerful fan to draw in air for every corner of your bathroom.
- In our home lab of 728 cubic ft, we light an incense stick to generate particle pollution and VOCs.
- We set up our trusted Purpleair Indoor Sensor with the latest Bosch gas sensor to track levels of PM1ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10ug/m3 and VOCs in the air.
- We switch the air purifier to its highest speed and measure how long it takes to get our room air quality down to PM1 level to 0.
- We use an energy meter to measure precisely how much electricity is used when running the unit at the lowest and highest fan speed settings.
- We track sound levels emitted by the air purifier at different fan speeds with the help of a commercial sound meter.
After assessing our first-hand performance data, I’ve curated four excellent air purifiers that will reduce airborne pollution, including the most minuscule mold spores and harmful VOCs. All without compromising limited bathroom space or costing a fortune to run.
Staff picks: Top 3 air purifiers for bathrooms
| 👑 BEST OVERALL | 💰 FOR TIGHT BUDGETS | 🛋️ FOR LARGE SPACES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levoit Core 300 | Levoit Core 200S | Mila | |
 |  |  | |
| AIR CLEANING SPEED ⚡ | 40 minutes | 61 minutes | 35 minutes |
| CADR 👩🔬 | 145 CFM | 118 CFM | 263 CFM |
| FILTER TECHNOLOGY 💨 | 3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles, high-efficiency activated carbon filter for odors and gasses) | 3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles, high-efficiency activated carbon filter for odors and gasses) | HEPA (ranges from H12-H14) + Activated charcoal (granular carbon) |
| MAX ROOM SIZE 📏 | 219 ft² | 183 ft² | 1000 ft² |
| WEIGHT ⚖️ | 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg) | 3 kg (6.6 lbs) | 18 lbs (8 kg) |
| OUR REVIEW 🔍 | Levoit Core 300 review | Levoit Core 200S review | Mila review |
| PRICE 💵 | $84.99 | $89.99 | Currently unavailable |
Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Remember that no two homes are alike, so it’s important to carry out research to find the right purifier for your needs. For a detailed look into our top air purifier picks for use in a bathroom, be sure to check out the rest of the article.
1. Best overall: Levoit Core 300
Small but powerful, the Core 300 provides an excellent level of air cleaning for a very reasonable price.
The Levoit Core 300 ticks all the boxes for a bathroom air purifier. It’s small enough to sit on a shelf or cabinet, powerful enough to quickly remove tiny airborne pollutants and affordable enough for you to start reaping the rewards right away.
The Core 300 has long been a favorite for us here at HouseFresh primarily because of its stellar performance in our speed test, where it cleared our test lab of all pollutants in 40 minutes — a great time for a purifier that costs less than 100 bucks.
Fueling this rapid particle removal rate is Levoit’s VortexAir technology, which will draw pollutants from all corners of your bathroom before passing the air through a highly efficient three-stage filter, including a fine-particle primary filter (to remove particles such as mold spores) alongside an activated carbon filter (to tackle VOCs from bathroom cleaning products and unpleasant odors).
What we really like
What we think could be better
The Core 300 is super simple to use, but unfortunately, you won’t find any smart features on this model. If you can’t live without an auto mode or air quality sensor (which are very handy in a bathroom setting), then you can easily upgrade to the Core 300S, which is the same size and shares the same performance but comes with all the latest features.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 40 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | 3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles, high-efficiency activated carbon filter for odors and gasses) |
| Recommended room size: | 219 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 145 CFM (246 m3/h) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 8.7L x 8.7W x 14.2H inches (22L x 22W x 36H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24 – 50dB |
| Filter life: | 6 – 8 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $47.30 |
2. Best budget option: Levoit Core 200S
With a three-figure CADR score and efficient three-stage filter, the 200S offers real value for money.
Looking for a small but mighty solution to poor air quality in your bathroom? Look no further than the Core 200S. This option from Levoit is specially designed for small spaces like a bathroom and is well-equipped to capture common contaminants like mold, bacteria and odors.
Just like its older brother, the Core 300, you’ll find an impressive clean air delivery rate (118 CFM) that will circulate air well in a small space and filters capable of capturing the tiniest of particles — including VOCs and chemical gasses from bleach and other cleaning products.
But on the 200S, you’ll also find useful smart features that make cleaning the air even simpler.
What we really like
What we think could be better
I’m a big fan of having an auto mode on a bathroom air purifier because—let’s face it—pollutants such as stale and stinky odors can strike at any moment. You’ll also benefit from Levoit’s VeSync app, which lets you control the unit remotely and check the current air quality readings. It’s a real bonus to get these features while paying less than $80 (at the time of writing). Something practically unheard of from any other manufacturer.
During our tests, the Core 200S took just over an hour to remove all pollutants. This isn’t the speediest result, but given the size of the unit, it is still a great turnaround time for a room in the home that isn’t as frequently used.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★☆☆ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 61 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | 3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles, high-efficiency activated carbon filter for odors and gasses) |
| Recommended room size: | 183 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 118 CFM |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 12.6H x 8.07W x 8.07D inches (32H x 20.5W x 20.5D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 6.6 lbs (3 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24 – 48dB |
| Filter life: | 6 – 8 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $30.48 per year |
3. Best for small bathrooms: Levoit Core Mini
Weighing just a kilo, the super small Core Mini air purifier is ideal for those tight on bathroom space.
A hat-trick for Levoit as their Core Mini takes the spot for the best small bathroom air purifier. This compact unit is ideal for use in such spaces, as it can easily be moved to target different pollutant sources and can fit on a shelf, window sill or even a toilet cistern.
Now it must be said that the Core Mini is the least powerful air purifier on this list. With a CADR score of 32 CFM, it won’t be able to work miracles inside a larger bathroom. Levoit advertises this unit as suitable for rooms as large as 178 square feet, but having used it for myself, I’d say a bathroom half this size would be more appropriate.
What we really like
What we think could be better
Despite boasting less power, it still shares the same 3-stage filters that you’ll find on other Levoit Core models: a pre-filter, a tightly woven primary filter (ideal for capturing bacteria) and an activated carbon filter with ARC formula that breaks down unwanted odors and harmful chemical gasses (such as those from the cleaning products you use to clean your bathroom).
For those particularly keen on a purifier to help with odor originating in the bathroom, the Core Mini even has a special trick up its sleeve. A small tray on the side of the unit allows you to add your favorite essential oils that will help create a fresher smelling and peaceful environment. While this won’t necessarily eradicate the problem on its own, when used in conjunction with a carbon filter, it can be helpful in the bathroom.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★☆☆ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 1 hour and 53 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | 3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles, high-efficiency activated carbon filter for odors and gasses) |
| Recommended room size: | 178 sq. ft. |
| Clea; you delivery rate (CADR): | 32 CFM |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 10.4H x 6.5D x 6.5W inches (26.4H x 16.4D x 16.4W cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 2.2 lbs (1 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 25 dB – 44 dB |
| Filter life: | 4 – 6 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $6.31 per year |
4. Best for large bathrooms: Mila
If you have a bigger bathroom, the high-tech Mila can clean your space with minimal effort.
With a CADR score of 263 CFM, the Mila has almost twice as much air cleaning capability as the next most powerful purifier on this list (Levoit Core 300). This means you can expect to remove particles, harmful VOCs from cleaning products and unwanted odors from your bathroom in record time.
I love that Mila offers users a choice of filters to meet their own specific needs. The pick of the bunch for use in a bathroom would be either the Home Wrecker or Overreactor, which are packed full of granular activated carbon (1.96 lbs in the Home Wrecker!). This high quality of carbon will help eradicate odors and VOCs rife in a bathroom. While all Mila filter options come with a HEPA-certified filter to handle other particulates like bacteria and mold spores.
What we really like
What we think could be better
What makes the Mila a standout choice for use in a bathroom, however, is its range of air sensors that make this purifier one of the smartest on the market. The Mila can monitor humidity, temperature, as well as levels of ultra-fine particulates and VOCs. All you have to do is set this unit to Auto mode and let it keep your bathroom a clean-air oasis.
SPECS & FEATURES
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
| Time to clean our test room: | 35 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | HEPA (ranges from H12-H14) + Activated charcoal (granular carbon) |
| Recommended room size: | 1000 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 263 CFM (447 m³/hr) |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 12L x 12W x 15H inches (30.48L x 30.48W x 38.1H cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 18 lbs (8 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 24dB – 74dB |
| Filter life: | 6 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 1 year |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $52.56 per year |
What to look for when buying an air purifier for your bathroom
In order for a air purifier to capture all the common pollutants found inside a bathroom, there are a few key qualities it must possess. Before you take the plunge on any unit, consider if it meets the following criteria.
1. Can it capture the smallest polluting particles?
When we think of common pollutants inside a bathroom, we think of mold, mildew and bacteria. These happen to be some of the smallest particles found in our air, so it’s vital your air purifier is able to remove them.
A study from IQAir found that most airborne mold spores are between 8 and 80 microns, while bacteria are even smaller, ranging between 0.5 and 10 microns. To capture such tiny particles, you will require a high-quality filter. A safe bet is to opt for HEPA filters, which can filter as much as 99.97% of particulate matter as small as 0.1 microns.
Levoit has recently changed the terminology of their filters from H13 HEPA due to a complaint from rival manufacturer Dyson. Although this sounds alarming, we’re still confident that their filters are amongst the best out there, as we’ve witnessed firsthand that their units remove all traces of PM1 particles (measuring 1 micron) in record times.
2. Does it utilize activated carbon?
As well as particulate matter such as mold, dust or bacteria, your bathroom will also be susceptible to unpleasant odors and harmful gasses, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
These pollutants can originate from natural sources such as human waste or stem from cleaning or cosmetic supplies that are frequently used in a bathroom.
To remove VOCs, your air purifier must use activated carbon filters. These work differently from HEPA or primary filters, by using a carbon substrate to lock in gaseous pollutants through a process known as adsorption.
As pollutants become attached to the porous surface of the carbon, it pays off to invest in the biggest filter you can. The bigger the filter, the more carbon, and therefore the more purifying power.
3. Can it circulate the air effectively?
When looking for a bathroom air purifier, it may be tempting to opt for a cheap unit. After all, you rarely spend more time than you need to in this space.
However, an air purifier still needs to be adequately powered if it’s able to circulate the air from the entire room.
A purifer that makes a difference to your air quality should be able to carry out four air changes per hour in your specific space. Manufacturers usually share a recommended room size, so it’s worth reaching for a measuring tape and double checking the unit you choose is up to the task.
4. Will you benefit from any additional features?
Modern air purifiers offer users enhanced controls and time-saving features that allow the unit to clean the air with minimal input from the owner.
These can include:
Auto or Eco mode, which monitors the air quality inside your space and adjusts the fan speed automatically to react to any changes in pollutant levels.
or
App or Smartspeaker compatibility, allowing you to operate the air purifier remotely, either through voice commands or on your own personal device. Many units that offer app support also provide real-time feedback on pollutant levels.
The short answer is no. Smart features are never a necessity and should not be prioritized over high-quality filters and fast-acting performance.
That being said, for those happy to pay extra for such features, they can come in handy in a wide range of settings, bathrooms included.
5. How much space is available in your bathroom?
This is an important one as you’ll need adequate space in your bathroom if you wish to utilize an air purifier.
More powerful units usually take up much more space; however, you will only require such a unit if your bathroom is larger than average, and therefore, you may have the space to spare.
We have included more compact purifiers on this list that are able to fit on a shelf, cabinet or side table. Allowing you to reap the rewards of clean air in your bathroom without sacrificing too much space.
Common questions about air purifiers in the bathroom
In order for an air purifier to remove unwanted odor, it will need to use an activated carbon filter.
As odors are gaseous pollutants, they can be captured by the carbon substrate inside the filter, leaving your space smelling fresher and healthier.
For maximum odor-busting efficiency, look for filters that use granular carbon over carbon-impregnated sheets, as they provide a much larger carbon surface area.
A clever way to maximize clean air without spending your life savings on air purifiers is to purchase units that are easy to move. By doing so, you can simply pick up your purifier and plug it in whenever you change room.
This is useful for spaces such as the bedroom or bathroom, where you probably don’t relax in all the time but will benefit from clean air when you are in the space.
Armed with the right air purifier, you will notice an improvement in air quality inside your bathroom. The purifier needs to use high-quality filters capable of capturing the smallest PM1 particles, such as mold and bacteria, alongside an activated carbon filter to tackle odors and VOCs. While ensuring it boasts a high CADR score will see faster results as it cleans air from all corners of the room.
Those with severe allergies or health conditions may wish to use an air purifier in every room in the home. For the average household, however, this may be a little overkill. As a rule of thumb, you should aim to use air purifiers in pollutant hotspots or in the spaces where you spend the most time.
Bathrooms are prime areas for mold and mildew buildup. The room often gets wet due to excess moisture and steam from a hot shower or bath without adequate ventilation. The right air purifier can capture mold spores in the air, improving the air quality, preventing the spread and eliminating odors simultaneously.
You’ll also find bathrooms are rife with airborne bacteria and viruses, especially if someone in the home is ill. An air purifier with a HEPA filter can capture those microscopic particles, reducing them so that the air is healthier.
Wrapping up
Utilizing an air purifier in your bathroom can help to create a healthier environment in a space often filled with mold and bacteria particles. Ensure that the purifier you choose is capable of circulating the air in your bathroom effectively and uses high-quality particulate filters that are capable of removing the smallest particles.
If you want your unit to tackle unpleasant odors or chemical pollutants from cleaning supplies, it must utilize activated carbon filters, too. Remember, the more carbon a filter possesses, the better it will be at removing VOCs, so opt for a granular-based filter wherever possible.
